Conveyer



Jan; 25, 1927.

J. K. HENCKEN CONVEYER File June 24. 1925 '3 Shgets-Sheet 1 Jan. 251927.

1,615,453 J. K. HENCKEN CONVEYER Filed June 24. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2Jan. 25, 1927.

J. K. HENCKEN CONVEXER Filed June '24 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 T'T n laswwtoz I Patented Jan. 25, 1927.

PAiTEsN-T oral :ronux. Hemmer. praop nm NEW YORK GONY ER,

Applicationfiled June 24, 1925. Serial No. 39,174.

This invcntiolrrelatesto improvements in conveyors of the-class commonlyknown as moving-platforms and is herein shown in; two forms designed fortransporting pas-- sengers and. treightrespectively:

An important-object of-theinvention is toprOVide-a generally improveddevice of the characterunentionedwhich is so constructed as to readilypermitthe removal and replacement of various parts thereof withoutnecessitating a shutdown in operation -when it becomesnecessary 7 tomake rep airs.

A' further object of theinvention is to;

providea device of the character mentioned which is so constructed as torequire a mini mum amountof driving-energy per unit of load-carr-ied.-

Another object of theinvention is to provide a structure in which thestresses, inci-f dent to operatlon, areso distributed as to;'

relieve-the device, at anyone point, of excess stresses, therebylessening the possibilityoi breakdowns underioperatin'g conditions.

Other objects -'and advantages of theiinvention will become apparentfrom the .following-descriptionwhen taken in connection withthetsaccompanying drawings in which- 'Fi gurel is a diagrammaticsectional plan viewtakemon line 11 of Figure 3 and showing a series ofcontinuous platforms adapted to be -operated at constant speedsrespectively, but at diflerent speeds withrespectltoeach other.

Figure -2 is an enlarged fragmental plan view ota platformon oppositesides of whieh -are fragmentally shown adjacent platforms.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line M of Figure 5showing the,

over-lapping endsaof adjacent sections of a platform n Figure 5 is atransverse sectional view I takenion-line'5+5..of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional elevation taken throu'gh a, pair ofplatforms and showing in detailthe, driving mechanism emv.pl'oye'd-inconnection therewith.-

Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional .view. taken on line 7:7 of Figure6.

In-"the drawings, wherein for the purpose conveyer. adapted foroperation within .a tunnel or subway 6 (Figure-3), although notrestrictedto underground use. The con 2 veyer is adapted for continuousopcration,;or in a given direction as indicated by the-arrows in Figure1, and is sufiiciently flexible to enable the same to pass around acurve-at each end-of the system so that one-half of theconveyer travelsin one directionwhileaw the other half travels in an opposite'-direction. Theconveyer 5 comprises a plurality of continuous platforms,indicated by the numerals? to 12, inclusive,-and each plateform-comprises a plurality of sections-1470 provided with corrugations1,5. Thesections 14 are overlapped in nesting engagement with oneanother and are secured in an overlapping relation by means of pivots 16passed through fiattenedareas 17 of adja-v re cent sections. It mayberemarked here thata su fficientclearance is allowed betweentheinterlock-ingcorrugations .to-per-mit a relative-movement on-one,section with respect to theother -about the pivotal connection be--,80tween the adjacent sections. This relative movement is necessaryinasmuch as the" conveyer-passes around a curve .at opposite ends of-the system, as shown, but since the curve is long and gradualtherelati-vemove ment between adjacent sections is necessarily verysmall and consequently-onlya l small amount-of clearance need be;afi'orded pose of preventing accidental slipping of Figure-3- is -'a'transverse sectional .view. taken on line 3- 3 of Figure 1. 4

persons boarding or departing from the conveyer.-

Theseveral platforms, indicated by the numerals 7 to 12, aresuitably-supported throughout their lengths bygtracks 19 each of whichis provided with a head 20 hav- "mg a groove formed therein carrying aseries of ball-bearings 21. [Itwill be noted that the sections 14lareprovided at opposite sides wi-th dependingflanges 22 which projectdownwardly intermediate adjacent tracks 19. These fla-nges form with theheads 20*a-nd the flattened margins of the. sections chases within whichthe ball-bearings 21 are confined. Between adjacent tracks-1-9 arearranged a pluralityof spacers-.110 23-which serve to retain; the tracks19 ina properly spaced relation, the tracks being secured together bymeans of bolts 24: passed through the spacers and the webs of thetracks.

To each of the conveyors there is attached a continuous rack 25 which issuitably secured to each of the pivots 16. These racks are suflicientlyflexible to permit. the platforms to readily pass around the curves ateach end of the system without setting up any undue strain at any pointwithin the conveyer structure. As a means for driving the platforms atdifferent speeds, I provide a plurality of inclined shafts 26, journaledin suitable supports and adapted to be driven from suitable sources ofpower such as a plurality of motors 2. operatively connected therewiththrough proper reduction gearing, not shown. These shafts and 1110- torsmay be arranged at proper intervals throughout the continuous length ofthe system, and each shaft is provided with a plurality of shroudedgears 28, of different sizes, which are adapted. to mesh with theseveral racks 25, the side plates 29 of each gear being so spaced as toreceive therebetween the toothed area of the racks thus insuring eng:gement between the racks and gears under all conditions. 'fhe gears 28may be so dimensioned, depending upon the speed of rotation of theshafts 26, as to obtain any desired speed of the several platforms 7 to12, inclusive, but 1 prefer to employ gears of such diameters, assuminga given speed of rotation of the shafts 26, as to drive the platforms 7to 12 at the rate of three, six, nine, twelve, fifteen and eighteenmiles, respectively, per hour. In order to further insure engagementbetween the several racks 25 and gears 28, l have provided each platformwith a flanged guide 30 which is secured to the several pivots l6, andlies flatagainst the rack 25. These guides may be slotted so as topermit them to yield or bend with the racks when the several platformsare distorted from a straight line of travel without setting up anyundue strain within the conveyer structure. A plurality of guide bars 32are carried by the transverse supports 33 which support the tracks 19and are so arranged as to engage the guides 30 adjacent the severalgears 28. It will be appreciated that since the racks 25 are confinedintermediate the plates 29, and since guide bars 32 engage the guides 30at points adjacent the gears 28, a positive driving connection be tweenthe several gears and their respective racks is afforded under allconditions.

The innermost platform 12, when the system is employed for thetransportation of passengers, may be provided with a plurality of seats33 for accommodating the passengers. These seats may be arranged eitherlongitudinally of the platform 12 or transversely thereof as desired.

In practice the passengers enter upon and leave the conveyer from aloading platform 39 at certain prescribed stations, such as subwayentrances 342 if the system is employed underground, and inasmuch as theplatforms are propelled at progressively increased speeds, ranging froma minimum of three miles per hour to a maximum of eighteen miles perhour, the platform 12 may be reached by the passengers with ease andcomfort, and for the same reason the passengers may with equal easedepart from the conveyer.

Under certain conditions it may be found desirable to employ a freightcarrying system in connection with the passenger system. In the presentinstance a freight conveyer 35 is illustrated as occupyingthe lowerportion of the tunnel or subway 6 and embodying a single moving platform36, substantially identical with those indicated by the numerals Y to12, inclusive, and hereinbefore described. The platform 86, like thosealready described, is supported by a plurality of transverse supports 37and employs the same form of driving means except that a single seriesof shrouded gears 38 is used for the entire freight carrying systemsince it is made up of but a single platform.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. A conveyer comprising an endless platform including a plurality ofsections pivotally connected together and adapted to move with respectto each other when the platform is distorted from a straight linecourse, a flexible rack secured to said sections and adapted to flex toconform with the distortion of the platform, and a driving gear adaptedto mesh with said rack for moving said platform along its course.

2. A conveyer comprising an endless platform including a plurality ofsections pivotally connected together and adapted to move with respectto each other when the platform is distorted from a straight linecourse, a flexible rack secured to said sections and adapted to flex toconform with the distortions of the platform, a driving gear adapted tomesh with said rack for moving said platform along its course, and meansfor maintaining meshing engagement of said rack with said gear.

3. A conveyer comprising a moving platform including a plurality ofsections movably connected to each other, tracks at each side of saidconveyer, anti-friction bearings carried by said tracks and supportingsaid conveyer throughout its length at opposite sides of said sections,a flexible rack secured to said sections, and a driving gear meshingwith said rack for moving said platform along its course.

4. A conveyer comprising a plurality of Hill moving platforms arrangedin the same plane, each of said platforms including a plurality ofsections pivotally connected together and adapted for relative movementwhen said platforms are distorted from a straight line travel, flexibleracks carried by said platforms and adapted to yield to conform to therelative movement between said sections, a driving shaft inclined withrespect to the plane of said platforms, and a )lurality of gears carriedby said shaft anil adapted to mesh with said racks for moving saidplatforms.

5. A conveyer comprising a plurality of moving platforms arranged in thesame plane, each of said platforms including a plurality of sectionspivotally connected together and adapted for relative movement when saidplatforms are distorted from a straight line travel, flexible rackscarried by said platforms and adapted to yield to conform to therelative movement between said sections, a driving shaft inclined withrespect to the plane of said platforms, and a plurality of differentsize gears carried by said shaft and meshing with said racks for movingsaid platforms at different speeds with respect to each other.

6. A conveyer comprising a moving platform including a plurality ofcorrugated sections overlying each other, the corrugations of adjacentsections being interlocked, means for pivotally connecting said sectionstogether whereby relative movement between said sections is permittedwhen the platform is distorted from straight line travel, a continuousflexible rack secured to said sections at their respective points ofpivotal connection and adapted to flex to conform to the distortion ofsaid platform, a driving gear meshing with said rack and adapted to movesaid platform along its course.

7 A conveyer comprising a moving platform including a plurality ofcorrugated sections overlying each other, the corrugations of onesection being fitted into the corrugations of an adjacent section, meansfor pivotally connecting said sections together tracks for supportingsaid platform, said tracks being provided with grooves and arranged atopposite sides of the platform, flanges carried by said sections andforming with each of said grooves a chase, and anti-friction bearingscarried within each chase and adapted to receive said sectionsthereupon.

8. A conveyer comprising a plurality of moving platforms arranged inparallelism, a driving shaft inclined with respect to said platforms,racks connected to said platforms, and different sized gears carried bysaid shaft and adapted to engage said racks for moving said platforms atdifferent speeds with respect to each other.

9. A conveyer comprising an endless platform including a plurality ofsections adapted to move with respect to each other when the platform isdistorted from a straight line course, a flexible rack carried by saidplatform and adapted to undergo distortion corresponding to thedistortion of said platform, and a driving gear adapted to mesh withsaid rack for moving said platform along its course of travel.

10. A conveyer comprising a plurality of moving platforms, each of saidplatforms including aplurality of sections adapted for relative movementwhen said platforms are distorted from a straight line course, flexibleracks carried by said platforms and adapted to yield as said platformsare distorted, and driving means cooperating with said racks for movingsaid platforms at different speeds with respect to each other.

In testimony whereof, I have affixed my signature to this specification.

JOHN K. HENCKEN.

